Huddled within the narrow confines of the stall you crouch against the cold stone wall and ready yourself. You do not have to wait long. As the wind rises to a gale and howls up and around the exposed building, a torrent of rain, then sleet, then hail smashes into the walls and roof of your shelter. Hammer blows of thunder assail your ears and great crashes of lightning tear across the sky. In waves the hail ebbs and rushes, piling drifts of dirty slush up against the stone walls. The stonework you are leaning against vibrates with the power of the storm, the lightning blinding as it arcs into the unprotected grassland. You are just glad that you found this shed when you did, and that you had not been caught out in this tempest.
For an hour you endure the violence of the storm, but eventually its power dissipates as it moves slowly on to the south. In the quiet that follows the storm's passing you rub down cold legs and stiff joints and prepare Pallenten for the journey ahead. There is but an hour until dusk and more distance you must make up before the night falls.

This book, and its associated books and other documents in the Chronicles of Arborell series are the intellectual property of the author, Wayne F Densley, and all rights are reserved by him. Windhammer is best viewed at 1024 x 768 resolution. Any questions regarding the Chronicles of Arborell can be answered by emailing the author at densleyw@shoal.net.au